Cardio in Just 15 Minutes? Impossible! Or Is It?
And what if I told you that, out of those 15 minutes, you only actually run for 2?
So, cardio in only 15 minutes, huh?
If you are skeptical, sit down because SIT is what we’ll talk about.
SIT stands for Sprint Interval Training. In SIT, you alternate between short sprints, which are maximum-intensity bursts, and long rest periods.
This differs from its world-famous cousin, HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training), where you alternate between high and low-intensity phases of roughly the same duration.
Compare: In SIT, you switch from minimum (rest) to maximum, while HIIT alternates between low and high. The range of change in SIT is bigger than in HIIT.
Graphically:
But why SIT? Isn’t HIIT good enough? Yes, HIIT is good enough, but SIT is better, especially when it comes to fat burning. At least this is what researchers from Brazil found.
Eager to know more about SIT? Let’s go.
SIT versus HIIT
In a typical HIIT session, you run at high intensity for 1 minute, and then at low intensity for 1 minute. You do that for 30 minutes.
In a typical SIT training, you perform 4 sprints of 30 seconds, with a rest period of 4 minutes between each sprint.
Notice how the high-intensity part is shorter and the rest period longer compared to HIIT. Also, notice that you only run for two minutes in total.
What? Yes, two little minutes. Isn’t that nice?
But hey, before you put on your shoes and run as if a rabid dog were chasing you, hear me out: this typical SIT session is for advanced practitioners only.
Beginners like me (and maybe you) should follow a progressive program that starts with 4 sprints of 10 seconds each, and gradually increases to 30-second sprints after 10 weeks.
Here, in detail:
Week 10 marks the end of the program; don’t push beyond that. All you have to do now is to take a few weeks off from time to time and, when returning, jump to week 10 already.
But, hold on, don’t put on your running shoes just yet! I have more to say, and it’s important.
You need to be careful
The more intense the exercise, the higher the chance of injury.
So, please, warm up appropriately before sprinting. For example, I jog from my home to the sprint location. Arriving there, I still do some skipping and butt kicks. Only then do I sprint.
Do I like it?
Yes! First, because all I need is a timer. Second, because I can squeeze the SIT session easily into my routine.
Yesterday, for example, I had a meeting in the late afternoon that ended earlier. I had 20 minutes before picking up my daughter from school and was able to fit in my sprints just in time!
Finally, SIT is simple because you just go “all out”. No need to monitor heart rate or VO2. Once the sprint is over, you sit (lowercase!) and rest before the next round.
So, will you give SIT a try?
Disclaimer: I am not a certified professional. This article is the result of years of learning and experimenting. I did my best to share what worked for me in the hopes it can work for you too. Always, always consult your doctor or another certified professional before putting into practice any advice I provide here.
